Disposable moth control vaporizer



Ap 6, 1954 J. K. CRIPPEN DISPOSABLE MOTH CONTROL VAPORIZER Filed Sept.29. 1950 JOHN K. CE/PPEN Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2,674,018 DISPOSABLE MOTH CONTROL VAPORIZER John K. Crippen, ParkRidge, Ill. Application September 29, 1950, Serial No. 187,380

1 Claim. 1

This application relates to a device for circulating or blowing thefumes or gases from certain volatile compounds which are used forcontrolling moth larvae and moth. By controlling is meant the partial orcomplete destruction of moth and moth larvae by use of said volatilecompounds.

The compounds ordinarily used for this purpose includeparadichlorbenzene, naphthalene and blends of the two in variousproportions; and other similar compounds or combinations of chemicalsfrom other synthetic or natural sources whose vapors or fumes or gasesare beneficial as described above.

Camphorated oil, oil of cedarwood, oil of cedarleaf, oil of pine needle,oil of eucalyptus, and other synthetically or naturally-producedchemicals are sometimes mixed or blended with the above for further aidin moth control. These aromatic bases have a real or psychological cheatin moth control. The oil of cedarwood, for example, is generallyconsidered to be a good moth preventive and closets, etc., are linedwith cedar wood for its preventive effect on moths and moth larvae. Theoil of cedarwood, blended with the moth control chemicals, will have areal as well as a psychological benefit.

The use of the various oils such as described above and their use inconjunction with moth controlling chemicals are well known to the arts.Any one or more of these chemicals, or combinations of the same may beemployed in the moth bomb fully described in this application.

My device, which I call a moth bomb, or vaporizer, is similar in somerespects to all vaporizers employed in conjunction with vacuum cleaners,and is used by insertion of the tool end of the vacuum cleaner hose.Such hoses are normally furnished with only tank-type vacuum cleaners,though they may also be used with some upright models, with a suitableadapter.

The tool ends are generally of uniform size with or without a taperdepending upon the model. However, they are usually tapered, and measureabout 1%" to 15;" at the widest point. The taper is ordinarily put onthe metal hoseend by a swaging operation. Most of such hose assembliesare made by companies specializing in the manufacture of flexible hosesand sold interchangeably to various vacuum cleaner manufacturers.

The use of such hoses, interchangeably by many vacuum cleanermanufacturers probably is due in part to the fact that the plasticVaporizers commonly used in the vaporizing of the chemicals abovedescribed are expensive. A set of eight cavity molds may run into manythousands of dollars for the molds alone; and the cost of the plasticVaporizers is especially high, although they are given .free with thevacuum cleaner sets-the cost, of course, having been included in thecost of manufacture of said sets.

Thus, the tool end or metal-swaged end of the vacuum cleaner hose isplaced in an opening of the moth vaporizer containing, usually,paradichlorbenzene or any of the above, which has been placed inside thevaporizer by the operator of the vacuum cleaner. The chemicals areplaced in a chamber provided when the two plastic partsone employing amale, and the other a female thread-are taken apart.

The above vaporizer may be used either directly upon the vacuum cleaner(as, for example, is done with Electrolux vacuum cleaners, and withHealth-Mor and some other makes of vacuum cleaners) with the hose-endcoupled directly to the vaporizer, or it may be placed at the end of thehose as described above.

The vaporizer or hose-end (with or without an added nozzle) is then heldbehind draperies, or under rugs, or is set in closets by the user,wherever moth control is considered beneficial. Other materials aresometimes used in place of plastics in similar construction to the abovevaporizer, but plastics of the various types are most often used by thevacuum cleaner manufacturers for this purpose. The tooling and die-cost,plus punching or drawing operation (in the case of metal) or themold-cost plus molding operation costs (in the case of plastics) arehigh.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improvedvaporizer for use with a vacuum cleaner or the like to inhibit, destroy,repel, or control moth, moth larvae or moth incrustations through theapplication of moth inhibiting, repelling or controlling gases formed byblowing air over certain volatile chemicals, which is of simple anddurable construction and which may be manufactured so inexpensively asto permit of disposal after the chemicals contained therein have beenused up.

Another object is to provide a disposable moth control vaporizer whichnot only serves to dispense moth controlling gases from volatile orsublimatory chemicals contained therein, but which also serves as themerchandising container for such chemicals.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of theforegoingcharacter which results not only in substantial savings byproviding a less expensive container, but also in providing a vaporizerwhich is much handier to use than the ordinary plastic, glass, metal,wood, rubber or Vaporizers of other non-disposable materials.

The special design and treatment of thisdisposable-container-and-vaporizer combination permits it to be used asa combination package and vaporizer and in this it differs distinctlyfrom the above commonly-used types.

The objects of the invention thus generally set forth together withother objects and ancillary advantages are attained by the constructionand arrangement shown by way of illustration in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through a disposablecontainer and vaporizer em-,- bodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the outer tube and covering therefor ofone device shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the components ofthe instant device received within the outer tube shown in Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the container there shownis made of spirallywound cardboard. However, either spiral orconvolutely-wou'nd cardboard, chipboard, jute, kraft or fibre may alsobe used. The spirallywound tube has the advantage of not using a type ofseam that is detrimental to some degree in achieving complete roundnessat one end of the tube for tight fit of the other parts. By convolute ismeant a tube which has a longi tudinal seam, in place of the spiral(flush) seam.

It should be noted that although tubular construction is used for themodel as the most practical, the device may also be of almost any othershape with the various parts conforming to that shape. However, theround or tubular shape is the least expensive and practical for a numberof other reasons. The component parts (excepting discs, caps andlabels), hereinafter called tubes could be triangular, square,rectangular, oval or almost any other shape, and still perform theunusual functions described in this application.

It would also follow, obviously, if other than tubular construction isused, the ends of the vaporizer must be made tubular unless the hoseends were also changed since the metal hose ends now universally usedare round. Other component parts such as closures or caps and perforatedsereens (hereinafter called discs) would have to conform to the shape ofthe tubes.

Since paradichlorbenzene and the other moth controlling compounds mustof necessity be able to evaporate or sublimate, it is necessary thatcertain means be provided to prevent the sublimation or evaporationbefore they are ready to be used for moth control. That is, the packagemust be suitably protected so that, until it is to be put to use, thecompounds will not sublimate or evaporate by themselves. This isaccomplished by the unusual construction of the container and the partsof the container further described below.

My specially made moth bomb or vaporizer, consists of the followingparts, assuming that the construction is tubular: l outer tube which islabeled and which is made of kraft, cardboard, chipboard, jute, fiber orother similar inexpensive suitable material; 2 one long inner tube" andwhich is glued in place within the outertube with further spaces ateither end between the ends of the outer and inner tubes; 3 twoperforated metal, plastic, or other-type screens which rest upon thisinner tube; and 4 two collars which are also glued in place (and whichfor additional protection may also be stapled in place) and which serveto hold the perforated screens in place between extremities of innertubeand the two outer tubes or collars.

It has been found most economical and practical to have these innertubes, i. e., two short collars, come flush with the ends of the outertube, and also to have the metal caps 5 exactly conform in fit insidethese two ends to keep the container airtight.

When staples are used to further hold these two collars in place, thenit is best to not allow the staples to penetrate through the twothicknesses (outer-tube and the two inner-collars) because at one end ofthe moth bomb or vaporizer the metal tool hose-end must be inserted andwithdrawn, and the protruding of the staples would make this a difficultprocedure.

The inner-tube (which means the larger one inside which holds thechemicals), as well as the two end collars, must conform in their outerdiameter with the inside diameter of the outer tube. And they should bemanufactured with such precision standards as are possible withspirally-wound tubes.

comparatively good precision tolerances are also provided in themanufacture of other types of tubes and other parts for said devicethough in our experience the spirally-wound tubes have proven moreeasily controlled as to external and internal diameters, because of theflush seams.

The above gives the description of the combination container, orvaporizer or moth bomb as shown on the label on the model, but someadditional features are needed to assure complete usefulness andpracticability.

These include (A) the treating in some way of the exterior and/orinterior surface or surfaces of the tube to prevent escaping of thegases; (B) the tight seating of a cap or other closure at either end ofthe tube to prevent escape of the gases. This cap must also be of apractical type so that it may be easily removed when the vaporizer is tobe used, and replaceable when the operator is through. The operatorsimply removes the caps, inserts the tool-end of the hose into one endof the bomb, places the other end of the hose into the vacuum cleanerconnection on the blower end, and proceeds to use the vaporizer asdescribed earlier in this application.

I have found the so-called single friction cap to be most useful forsaid purpose. By single friction is meant a cap containing but one rimor lip, having a slight taper on the sides, or closure surface, or partwhich is inserted into the container. However, double friction caps(which is the standard paint-top cap) of metal or other material,stoppers, caps or even discs of various typescould be used with somedegree of success.

A disc, for example, could be used on either end, held in place by ashrink-on or similar material which shrinks in place and would hold thediscs from both top and sides tightly onto the open ends of thecontainer. Scotch tape could also be used. I prefer, however, the singlefriction cap for a closure at each end.

Said caps fit tightly into the two inner tubes or collars at, eitherend, when inner collars are made flush with extremities of outer tube.Another acceptable construction would be provided by having the innertube ends, or collars, slightly shorter and, of course, in that case thesingle friction cap would fit the inside diameter of the outer tube.

I find it most practical, however, to have the inner tube ends (collars)flush with outer tubes and to have the caps fit the inner tube, becausethis construction provides strength by giving double thickness at theends. Such strength is important as the tool-end of the vacuum cleanerhose may be inserted and removed many times before the supply ofchemicals has been exhausted.

The use of caps or other seals or closures at either end does notcompletely protect against sublimation, evaporation or loss of thechemicals inside. Some additional methods are, as already brought forthin this petition, needed to keep the parchment, cardboard, chipboard orfiber container from allowing leakage or escape through the pores of thematerial itself. This may be accomplished by a number of means, or byany combination of the same: (1) by the dipping, spraying orotherwise-coating of the outer or inner tubes; (2) by a protectivecoating, sprayed, lithographed, printed or otherwise bonded to thelabel; (3) the use of a metal foil label.

I prefer the use of a metal foil label which could be leadfoil, tinfoil,copperfoil, aluminumfoil, etc., which may or may not be bonded to asuitable paper surface. There are papers to which a thin coatingmetallic surface is added in the process of manufacture, and such papersalso give the necessary protection and provide a practical andattractive label.

Any of the above methods for protecting against loss by evaporation orsublimation or any combination of two or more included as a feature ofmy application, constitute an original idea since in the past metalcontainers, glass containers, and the like, which are much more costlyhave been used for packaging of paradichlorbenzene and similar mothcontrolling chemicals.

Cellophane bags and other type protective bags have been used but noneof them have combined the unusual feature of the package itself with theuse of the container, and the unique preparation of said container,combined with special means which, together make available a verypractical, useful and inexpensive moth control vaporizer and packagecombination.

I claim as my invention:

A disposable moth control vaporizer comprising, in combination, an outertube, an impervious cover fastened about said tube, a second tube fixedwithin said first tube having its ends terminating in inwardly spacedrelation to the ends of said first tube, a pair of perforated disksdisposed within said first tube, a pair of tubular collars respectivelydisposed adjacent the ends of said first tube and within the same andengageable with said disks for supporting the same adjacent the ends ofsaid second tube and in trans-axial relation thereto and to said firsttube, said second tube and said disks defining a chamber for holding aquantity of sublimatory mothicide, one of said collars being adapted toreceive therein the end of a vacuum cleaner hose.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,867,640 Widders et a1. July 19, 1932 1,911,669 Berndsen etal. May 30, 1933 1,931,884 Chason Oct. 24, 1933 2,532,565 Miller Dec. 5,1950

